Quote:
Originally Posted by Evantra
Could be nice to try F1-style ‘Grill the Grid’ videos too. I’ve seen a few things in the past like drivers drawing the circuit from memory, but it seems inconsistent and a bit half-hearted.
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This. It's the key. I saw the video with Nick Halstead and Paul O'Neil talking about how the BTCC is opening up social media for drivers and teams - in using race day footage with support championships to follow. But what has come out so far is utterly miserable.
It's going to take more than just bringing a mate or girlfriend to film on a phone and sticking an ITV logo on it. I even saw Halstead on socials asking for someone with experience to come and film from the pitwall for them. I thought he was some kind of social media expert with ITV links - if you're going to do it, do it properly.
For example I follow a few F1 folk on YouTube - like fan channels, media people, and a couple (which must be all!) of the people doing stuff around BTCC. I get that they can't film stuff on track, but they're not supposed to film pitlane even when drivers are getting ready and stuff. That's archaic. There's a couple of podcasts go on YouTube, a couple of young lads do some interviews/reviews, and one photographer does some daft little video recaps (although their TCR ones are better because they can use film of cars on track.) The Lithuanian guy who does vlogs is doing more for the sport than some teams but when I asked him about it he said that going official would mean no filming of stuff on the circuit - it appears that the BTCC don't chase down fans who post stuff from the crowd (that would create bad blood and backfire.)
NAPA and EXCELR8 have good stuff, if they could intergrate on track stuff, or pitlane stuff it would be brilliant. That trip to the arcade vid for the 2 Tom's was gold.
My kids love F1 - and it's as much because of the people on YouTube talking about it, and snippets on Insta/TikTok/Twitter. BTCC could harness those fans if they opened up, but truth is it's run by old people and a TV channel - if they don't shift to the socials of the 21st century they are going to lose that battle.
I know Rowbo pops up on here, just today I saw a vid on his Insta of the car on track, it's a good start, that's great but hopefully more will come using better gear. I now he was asking for fan input - which is great - I hope there was enough to get the bosses going 'Yes.'
I know some of the GT racers around the world have money to burn for that kind of thing with pro video folk, but it's what you've got to aim for. There are ways to do it for far cheaper than flying a pro video person in.
But what Evantra says about inconsistent and half-hearted is walloping the nail on the head. Choose the drivers who it'll work with. No offence but it doesn't seem to be the gig that Turkington, Hill or Cook would suit, but Ingram, Rowbottom, Taylor-Smith are born for it. If only a few more were as dedicated as Lloyd it would make a huge difference.